ASTURIAS TRADITIONAL WOODEN CLOGS

As you travel throughout Asturias you will notice that many of the locals are wearing wooden clogs known as Madreñas. They might seem slightly out of place on a pavement or an Asphalt road but when you put them on and tackle a steep field or muddy path you then realise that wooden clogs (Madreñas) are quite simply the best off road footwear there is.

They are waterproof, insulated and very comfy once broken in….. (the slippers you wear with them do help to soften them up) but they are also surprisingly inexpensive for what they are.

Traditionally hand crafted out of Birch and other types of wood, these wooden clogs also carry the signature of the hand that made them in the design on the front which can be quite elaborate and is handed down from generation to generation of Madreña makers.

Many think that the art of crafting Madreñas is a dying one but we at Where is Asturias think it could make a comeback…..It’s not often that you get to watch your new shoes been carved out in front of you!